Oops! Language barrier thwarts Clinton goodwill gesture

Geneva — Call it a goodwill gesture lost in translation.

With smiles all around, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov gathered with aides Friday for talks on a range of issues, including the fight against terrorism, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, missile defense and other topics.

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Fabrice Coffrini/AP

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, right, looks on as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov handles the device she gave him, which was labeled with the Russian word for ‘overloaded’ — not ‘reset.’

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With a media gaggle looking on, Clinton handed Lavrov a green box tied with a green bow. He opened it to reveal a “reset button,” a reminder of Vice President Joe Biden’s recent remark that the Obama administration hopes to reset U.S. relations with Moscow.

Trouble was, the Russian-language label the Americans put on the button had the wrong word. Before she realized the mistake, Clinton assured Lavrov, “We worked hard to get it right.”

“You got it wrong,” Lavrov responded with a smile. He said the word the Americans chose — “peregruzka” — meant “overloaded” or “overcharged” rather than “reset.”

Clinton laughed heartily and Lavrov went on to thank her for her good intention.

In front of the camera, the two pushed the button together in a symbolic effort to show they share a desire for improved relations.